This section is intended to provide background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the described embodiments. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light and not as admissions of prior art.
Subterranean formations may contain petroleum, natural gas, or other hydrocarbons, but may have a poor hydrocarbon flow rate due to formation characteristics such as low permeability, or from damage or clogging of the formation during drilling. Low permeability and damage or clogging of the formation is particularly common in tight sands and shale formations, among others.
To increase and/or enhance flow rate, a well drilled within a poor flow rate formation may be stimulated after the well completion. The formation may stimulated by fracturing by injecting a pressurized liquid into the well and perforation tunnels to create cracks in the formations through which natural gas, petroleum, and other hydrocarbons are able to flow more freely. When pressure is removed from the well, proppants (e.g., small grains of sand, aluminum oxide, among others) hold the fractures open allowing hydrocarbons to flow from the formation and into the well (referred to as production). Stimulation techniques include hydraulic fracturing, acidizing, propellant stimulation, nitrogen circulation, gas lift, and combinations thereof, among others.